Rim-tool



J. W. BOND.

RIM TOOL.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 14, 1919.

Patented J an. 6, 1920.

JAMES W. BOND, OF COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA.

RIM-TOOL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1920.

Application filed April 14, 1919. Serial No. 289,937.

To all whom it may concern:

Be' it known that 1, JAMES IV. BOND, citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Richland and State of South Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rim- Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bending tools, and has as its primary object to provide a device of this character whereby the flanges of a motor vehicle wheel rim may be quickly and accurately restored to their normal curvature after having been ammed or dis torted by contact with the road surface.

It very often happens that where a vehicle tire blows out or is deflated from other causes, it is necessary to remove the tire and travel directly upon the wheel rim. In such instances, the flanges of the rim are battered by obstructions in the road surface with the result that the flanges are bent inwardly out of shape and otherwise distorted. For

returning the flanges to their normal position, it is at present quite common to-use chisels or any other similar tool at hand. with the result that the flanges are hacked and roughened while, at the same time, the flanges are not uniformly bent back into place. The present invention, therefore, has as a further object to provide a tool which will not mar the flanges of the rim when applied thereto and which may be employed for uniformly bending the flanges back into lace.

p And the invention has as a still further object to provide 'a tool which will be of simple construction and which may be readily carried as a part of an accessory equipment.

Other and incidental objects will appear hereinafter. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing my improved tool applied to one side flange of a conventional type of vehicle wheel rim, a portion of the handle of the tool being broken away and shown in section in order to illustrate the mounting of the handle upon the tool head,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the tool head in detail, and

Fig. 3 is a front elevation showing the tool in use.

In carryin the invention into effect I employ a tool ead 10. This tool head may be cast or otherwise formed and is provided at its inner end with a reduced cylindrical shank 11. Fitting over this shank is a preferably hollow handle 12 which may be constructed from a suitable length of pipe and is connected with the shank by a rivet or other suitable fastening device. Curving upwardly and forwardly at the working end of the tool head is a short jaw 13, and beneath and spaced from this jaw is an upwardly and forwardly curved coacting long jaw 14. This jaw 14 is somewhat thicker at its neck than the jaw 13 and is provided with a rounded outer face merging into the lower side of the head as shown and producing a fulcrum or rocker 15. It will be noted that the notch between the jaws follows their general curvature, i. c. outward and upward from a. line drawn centrally through the head and jaws.

In order that the manner in which my improved tool is employed in practical use may be readily understood, I have shown the device in connection with the rim 16 of a conventional type of vehicle wheel 17 At its sides, the .rim is provided with the usual tire engaging flanges 18. As is well known, these flanges soon become bent or flattened inwardly and otherwise distorted when the wheel travels upon the rim. Accordingly. it becomes necessary to bend the flanges back into place before a. tire can be properly connected with the rim. To accomplish this result, the tool is employed in the manner illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 of the drawings. Initially, the rocker 15 is rested against the base of the rim and the tip of the long jaw 14 passed beneath the flange to be straight-- ened so that the j aw 13 will thus engage over the flange, the lip of the flange being received in the notch between the aws. Now handle 12 may be readily operated in the direction shown by the arrow to rock the tool head upon its fulcrum 15 and accordingly press the jaw 14 upwardly beneath the flange for bending the flange outwardly to its normal position. At the same time, the inner face of the jaw 13 will ride over the lip of the flange at the outer side of said lip so that the lip will be bent downwardly at 'its free margin to normal position, the dished upper face of the jaw 14 being adapted to accommodate the lip when thus bent by the jaw 13. Itwill thus be seen that by shifting the tool along the flange and using it at spaced points thereon as just described, the rim flange may be straightened throughout its entire length. Having straightened one flange, the other flange may then be operated upon. Furthermore, it is to be particularly noted that all parts of the tool are of such nature that the tool will not deface the flanges or roughen the surface thereof to prevent the proper engagement of a tire with the rim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as'new is:

The herein described tool for bending Wheel rim flanges, thesame comprising a to the handle in line therewith and having 1ts working portion deflected out of said line and notched in its extremity to produce a short upper jaw and a long lower jaw, the jaws and the notch curving outward and upward, the walls of the notch being substantially parallel, and the lower face of said long jaw being rounded and merging into the lower side of the head to constitute a fulcrum rocker, as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES W. BOND. [1 8.] 

